Driving assistance methods, driving assistance apparatus, driving assistance systems, and computer program

ABSTRACT

A driving support method supports driving of a vehicle from outside of the vehicle using images captured by a camera installed outside of the vehicle. The driving support method includes a recognition step of recognizing a shielding area that is an area in which a vehicle is shielded by a shield within an imaging range of the camera based on the images, and a control step of controlling the behavior of the vehicle by giving a predetermined command to the vehicle when a shielding area is present on traveling path of the vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of theprior Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-053706, filed on Mar. 26,2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of driving supportmethods, driving support apparatus, and driving support systems andcomputer programs for supporting driving of a vehicle from outside ofthe vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

The following technique is described in JP 2016-122439 A. Using aplurality of radar sensors arranged around an intersection, an objectincluding a vehicle approaching the intersection is detected and itstrajectory is calculated. Then, switching of one or more traffic signalsis delayed when there is a high likelihood that objects will collidewith each other.

Actual roads may include, for example, street trees, parked vehicles,and the like. Due to these objects, sensors may not be able to detect atraveling vehicle or the like that is a detection target. In thetechnique described in JP 2016-122439 A, this point is not considered,and there is room for improvement.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems. Theobject of the present disclosure is to provide a driving support method,an apparatus assisting system, and a computer program that can safelydrive the vehicle even when there is a possibility that the vehicle as asupport target cannot be recognized.

A driving support method according to an aspect of the presentdisclosure is a driving support method that supports driving of avehicle from outside of the vehicle using an image captured by a camerainstalled outside of the vehicle. The driving support method comprises arecognition step of recognizing a shielding area that is an area inwhich the vehicle is shielded by a shield within the imaging range ofthe camera based on the image; and a control step of controlling thebehavior of the vehicle by giving a predetermined command to the vehiclewhen shielding area is present on traveling path of the vehicle.

A driving support apparatus according to an aspect of the presentdisclosure is a driving support apparatus for supporting driving of thevehicle from outside of the vehicle using an image captured by a camerainstalled outside of the vehicle. The driving support apparatuscomprises a recognition unit configured to recognize shielding area thatthe vehicle is shielded by a shield within the imaging range of thecamera based on the image, and a control unit configured to control thebehavior of the vehicle by giving a predetermined command to the vehiclewhen traveling path of the vehicle is present.

A driving support system according to an aspect of the presentdisclosure includes a driving support apparatus for supporting drivingof the vehicle from outside of the vehicle using an image captured by acamera installed outside of the vehicle, and a vehicle-side apparatusmounted on the vehicle. The driving support apparatus comprises arecognition unit configured to recognize a shielding area that is anarea in which the vehicle is shielded by a shield within the imagingrange of the camera based on the image, and a control unit configured tocontrol the behavior of the vehicle by giving a predetermined command tothe vehicle when the shielding area is present on traveling path of thevehicle. The vehicle-side apparatus is to control the behavior of thevehicle according to the predetermined command.

A non-transitory computer readable medium according to an aspect of thepresent disclosure includes a computer program that causes a controllerof a driving support apparatus that supports driving of a vehicle fromoutside of the vehicle using an image captured by a camera installedoutside of the vehicle to recognize a shielding area which is an area inwhich the vehicle is shielded by a shield within the imaging range ofthe camera based on the image, and control the behavior of the vehicleby giving a predetermined command to the vehicle when the shielding areais present on a traveling path of the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary scene in which a drivingsupport method according to the embodiment is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a driving supportsystem according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a part of a driving support methodaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a method of determining thearea of a road surface.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another part of a driving support methodaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another part of a driving support methodaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a part of a driving support methodaccording to a modification of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computeraccording to the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

The embodiment according to a driving support method will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. In the present embodiment, a drivingsupport method for supporting driving of the vehicle traveling in theparking lot will be described. Vehicles that are supported by drivingsupport methods shall be self-propelled (i.e., capable of travelingregardless of the operation of driving operators). Incidentally, thevehicle may be occupied by a driving person.

Studies on automated valet parking (AVP) are under way. For example, arelatively large number of sensors must be mounted on the vehicle in anattempt to realize automatic valet parking only by the vehicle'sself-propelled functions. Then, the cost per vehicle increases.Therefore, the popularization of vehicles capable of automatic valetparking is delayed, and thus, the popularization of automatic valetparking may also be delayed.

In contrast, an infrastructural-coordinated automatic valet parkingsystem has been proposed that supports driving of vehicles using, forexample, information obtained from images of cameras installed in aparking lot. In the infrastructure cooperative type automatic valetparking, the vehicle can be safely self-propelled even when the numberof sensors mounted on the vehicle is comparatively small. Therefore, itcan be expected that the cost reduction per vehicle and the promotion ofthe popularization of automatic valet parking can be promoted for theautomatic valet parking of the infrastructure cooperative type.

Incidentally, for example, when tree branches and leaves grow, extendedbranches and leaves may be included in the camera's field of view (inother words, imaging range). Alternatively, the construction vehicle orfence or the like may be included in the field of view of the camera dueto inspection or construction of the parking lot. Then, there is apossibility that it is impossible to detect the target vehicle from theimage of the camera by the presence of trees or the like between thecamera and the target vehicle to support.

The following is a practical example. Consider a case where the vehicle1 as the target vehicle travels toward the parking space (1) of FIG. 1.As shown in FIG. 1, there is a tree within the field of view of thecamera 20 (see dotted lines extending from the camera 20). Then, it isnecessary for the vehicle 1 to pass through the vicinity of the tree inorder to reach the parking space (1). At this time, when the vehicle 1enters the shadow of the tree (see vehicle 1′), the camera 20 is unableto image the vehicle 1 by the presence of tree. As a result, the vehicle1 is not detected.

At this time, there is a possibility that the safety of the targetvehicle is reduced when the support to the target vehicle isinterrupted. Therefore, in the driving support method, a shielding areathat is an area in which the target vehicle is shielded by a shield suchas a tree within the field of view of the camera (e.g., camera 20) isrecognized in advance. Then, in the driving support method, apredetermined command is given to the target vehicle as traveling pathsupport when the shielding area is present on the traveling path of thetarget vehicle, thereby controlling the behavior of the target vehicle.

The predetermined command may be a deceleration command. Thisdeceleration command may be realized by reducing the target vehiclespeed of the target vehicle. The degree of deceleration indicated by thedeceleration command may increase as the shielding area increases. Thepredetermined command may be a stop command. The predetermined commandmay be a traveling path change command that changes the traveling pathof the target vehicle to a new path that does not pass through theshielding area. The predetermined command may be a target change commandto change the target point of the target vehicle to a new target pointthat can be reached without passing through the shielding area.

Here, a driving support system 100 is exemplified as an exemplaryspecific configuration for realizing the driving support method. InFIGS. 1 and 2, the driving support system 100 includes a controlapparatus 10 that is an apparatus of the parking lot side, a camera 20installed in the parking lot, and the vehicle 1 (i.e., the targetvehicle of the support) configured to include a vehicle control unit 30mounted on. Incidentally, the parking lot, in addition to the camera 20,one or more other cameras may be installed. Further, in addition to thecamera, a different type of sensor than the camera such as LiDAR (LightDetection and Ranging) may be installed.

The control apparatus 10 is configured to include an acquiring unit 11,a learning unit 12, a control unit 13, and a communication unit 14 asprocessing blocks that are logically realized therein or as processingcircuits that are physically realized therein. The acquiring unit 11acquires an image captured by the camera 20. The learning unit 12 learnsor recognizes a shielding area based on the images acquired by theacquiring unit 11. The control unit 13 generates information forsupporting the vehicle 1 (e.g., target point, target traveling path,target velocity, etc.). In particular, when the shielding area learnedby the learning unit 12 is present on the traveling path of the vehicle1, the control unit 13 generates information indicating a predeterminedcommand in order to control the behavior of the vehicle 1.Communications unit 14 transmits the information generated by thecontrol unit 13 to the vehicle control unit 30 of the vehicle 1. Thevehicle control unit 30, based on the information transmitted from thecontrol apparatus 10, controls the vehicle 1 to self-propel the vehicle1.

The learning of shielding area by the learning unit 12 will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. In FIG. 3, the learning unit 12 comparesone image acquired by the acquiring unit 11 with a past image that is animage captured by the camera 20 before the one image. A description willbe added with reference to FIG. 4 for comparison between one image andthe past image. FIG. 4 (a 1) is an example of a past image, and FIG. 4(b 1) is an example of a current image.

The learning unit 12 obtains a correspondence relationship (e.g., acorresponding point) between the past image and the map. Black circlesin FIG. 4 (a 1) correspond to the corresponding points. The learningunit 12 converts the past image shown in FIG. 4 (al) into an image shownin FIG. 4 (a 2), for example, based on the determined correspondencerelationship. The learning unit 12 calculates an area of a road surfaceportion (a portion surrounded by a broken line) in the image shown inFIG. 4 (a 2).

Similarly, the learning unit 12 obtains a correspondence relationshipbetween the current image and a map. Black circles in FIG. 4 (b 1)correspond to the corresponding points. The learning unit 12 convertsthe current image shown in FIG. 4(b 1) into an image shown in FIG. 4(b2), for example, based on the requested correspondence relationship. Thelearning unit 12 calculates an area of a road surface portion (a portionsurrounded by a broken line) in the image shown in FIG. 4 (b 2).

Next, the learning unit 12 compares the entire current image with theentire past image to determine whether or not the difference between thetwo is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step S101). Inprocessing of the step S101, when the difference is determined to beless than a predetermined value (step S101: No), the operation shown inFIG. 3 is terminated. Thereafter, after a predetermined period (e.g.,several tens of milliseconds to several hundred milliseconds) haselapsed, processing of the step S101 may be performed. That is, theoperation shown in FIG. 3 may be repeated at a cycle corresponding to apredetermined period.

In processing of the step S101, when it is determined that thedifference is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (stepS101: Yes), the learning unit 12 compares the area of the road surfaceportion calculated from the previous image with the area of the roadsurface portion calculated from the current image to determine thedifference between the two. At this time, as the area of the roadsurface portion calculated from current image is smaller than the areaof the road surface portion calculated from the past image, thedifference is assumed to be larger. Then, the learning unit 12determines whether or not the road surface portion in one image hasdecreased in comparison with the road surface portion of the previousimage (step S102). That is, it is determined whether the differencebetween the area of the road surface portion calculated from the pastimage and the area of the road surface portion calculated from thecurrent image are positive values. In processing of the step S102, whenit is determined that the road surface portion is not reduced (stepS102: No), the operation shown in FIG. 3 is terminated. This is becausethe possibility that the variation in the parking lot that caused theabove difference affects the detection of the target vehicle beingtraveled can be regarded as relatively low. Thereafter, after apredetermined period has elapsed, processing of the step S101 may beperformed.

In processing of the step S102, when it is determined that the roadsurface portion is decreasing (step S102: Yes), the learning unit 12determines whether or not there is a running vehicle within the field ofview of the camera 20 (step S103). In processing of the step S103, whenit is determined that there is a running vehicle (step S103: Yes), theoperation shown in FIG. 3 is terminated. This is because there is a highpossibility that the road surface portion is reduced by the runningvehicle rather than shielding objects such as trees. Thereafter, after apredetermined period has elapsed, processing of the step S101 may beperformed.

In processing of the step S103, when it is determined that there is norunning vehicle (step S103: No), the learning unit 12 learns a portioncorresponding to the above-described difference in one image as ashielding area candidate (step S104). Thereafter, after a predeterminedperiod has elapsed, processing of the step S101 may be performed.

When the new shielding area candidate is learned by the operation shownin FIG. 3, the learning unit 12 performs the operation shown in FIG. 5.In the operation shown in FIG. 5, after the new shielding area candidatehas been learned, a plurality of temporally consecutive images of thevehicle traveling in the field of view of the camera 20 are used. InFIG. 5, based on the plurality of images, the learning unit 12determines whether or not the position of the vehicle detected from theimages (in other words, appearing in the images) is indeterminate for apredetermined period of time (step S201). In other words, in processingof the step S201, it is determined whether or not the vehicle that hasbeen detected up to a certain point cannot be detected in the field ofview of the camera 20 for at least a predetermined time.

Here, the above-described “predetermined time” may be set as the time atwhich the degree of the impact on driving support becomes an allowablelimit, for example, based on the relation between the time at which theposition of the target vehicle cannot be specified and the degree of theimpact on driving support. In processing of the step S201, when theposition of the vehicle is determined not to be indeterminate for apredetermined time (step S201: No), the operation shown in FIG. 5 isterminated.

In processing of the step S201, when it is determined that the positionof the vehicle is indeterminate for a predetermined time (step S201:Yes), the learning unit 12 determines whether or not the range in whichthe position of the vehicle was indeterminate corresponds to a shieldingarea candidate (step S202). In S202 of steps processing, when it isdetermined that the range where the position of the vehicle wasindeterminate does not fall within the shielding area candidate (stepS202: No), the operation shown in FIG. 5 is terminated. In this case,the position of the vehicle may become indeterminate because of thereason that is not related to a shield (e.g., the vehicle has come outof the field of view of the camera 20 by route change, etc.).

In processing of the step S202, when the range in which the position ofthe vehicle was undefined corresponds to the shielding area candidate(step S202: Yes), the learning unit 12 determines whether or not a newvehicle is detected near the shielding area candidate after the positionof the vehicle becomes indeterminate based on the plurality of images(step S203). In processing of the step S203, when it is determined thata new vehicle is not detected (step S203: No), the operation shown inFIG. 5 is terminated.

In processing of the step S203, when it is determined that a new vehiclehas been detected (step S203: Yes), the learning unit 12 determineswhether or not the direction indicated by the direction vector of thevehicle whose position is indeterminate (which may be a velocity vectorwhen the vehicle is running at a constant speed) and the directionindicated by the direction vector of the newly detected vehicle coincide(step S204). In processing of the step S204, when it is determined thatboth directions do not match (step S204: No), the operation shown inFIG. 5 is terminated because it is relatively likely that the path ofthe newly detected vehicle will be different from the path of thevehicle the position of which has become indeterminate.

In processing of the step S204, when it is determined that bothdirections coincide (step S204: Yes), the learning unit 12 stores arange from the position where the position of the vehicle becomesindeterminate to the position where the vehicle is newly detected (i.e.,the position where the vehicle whose position became undetermined isre-detected) as shielding area (step S205).

Next, the support of driving of the target vehicle by the control unit13 (e.g., the vehicle 1) will be described with reference to theflowchart of FIG. 6. As described above, the control unit 13 generates,for example, a destination point, a target traveling path (in otherwords, a temporal variation in the target steering angle), a targetvelocity, and the like. Here, the “target point” is not limited to thefinal target point, for example, may be a target point after a fewseconds or the like.

In FIG. 6, the control unit 13 determines whether or not the position ofthe target vehicle is near a shielding area stored by the learning unit12 (step S301). In other words, in processing of the step S301, it isdetermined whether or not the shielding area is present on travelingpath of the target vehicle and the target vehicle has reached thevicinity of the shielding area. In processing of the step S301, when itis determined that the position of the target vehicle is not near theshielding area (step S301: No), the operation shown in FIG. 6 isterminated. Thereafter, after a predetermined period (e.g., several tensof milliseconds to several hundred milliseconds) has elapsed, processingof the step S301 may be performed. That is, the operation shown in FIG.6 may be repeated at a cycle corresponding to a predetermined period.

In processing of the step S301, when it is determined that the positionof the target vehicle is near the shielding area (step S301: Yes), thecontrol unit 13 lowers the upper limit vehicle speed (step S302). As aresult, the target vehicle speed generated by the control unit 13 isreduced. Thereafter, after a predetermined time has elapsed, processingof the step S301 may be performed. In processing of the step S302, thecontrol unit 13 may increase the degree of reduction (in other words,the degree of deceleration) of the target vehicle speed as the shieldingarea increases. Processing of this step S302 corresponds to the mannerin which the deceleration command as an example of the predeterminedcommand described above is given to the target vehicle.

The following is a practical example. Suppose the target vehicle is thevehicle 1 and its target point is the parking space (1) in FIG. 1. Inthis case, the control unit 13 reduces the target vehicle speed of thevehicle 1 by lowering the upper limit vehicle speed according to thevehicle 1 prior to the vehicle 1 reaching the position of the vehicle 1′(i.e., within the shielding area) by processing of the above-describedstep S302. Consequently, the vehicle 1 decelerates and then runs on itsown on shielding area.

(Technical Effects)

In the driving support method, when a shielding area is present ontraveling path of the target vehicle, the upper limit vehicle speed forthe target vehicle that has reached the vicinity of the shielding areais reduced. As a result, the target vehicle will slow down and runfreely on the shielding area. Therefore, even if there are objects(e.g., obstacles) in the shielding area that cannot be detected from theimages of cameras and prevent the target vehicle from traveling, it canbe expected that appropriate measures may be taken by the functions ofthe target vehicle such as, for example, crash damage mitigationbraking. Thus, the driving support method can safely drive the targetvehicle even when there is a possibility that the target vehicle cannotbe recognized.

<Modification>

(1) Instead of processing of the step S302 of FIG. 6, the control unit13 may change the target point of the target vehicle to a point wherethe vehicle can reach without passing through a shielding area.Specifically, for example, if the parking space (1) of FIG. 1 was thetarget point, the control unit 13 may change the target point to theparking space (2). This aspect corresponds to the manner in which thetarget change command as an example of the predetermined commanddescribed above is given to the target vehicle.

(2) The control unit 13 may change the target traveling path of thetarget vehicle to a traveling path that does not pass through ashielding area instead of processing of the step S302 of FIG. 6. Thisaspect corresponds to an aspect in which a path change command as anexample of the predetermined command described above is given to thetarget vehicle.

(3) The control unit 13, instead of processing of the step S302 of FIG.6, the target vehicle may be stopped in front of a shielding area. Thisaspect corresponds to the manner in which the stop command as an exampleof the predetermined command described above is given to the targetvehicle.

(4) The control unit 13, instead of the operation shown in FIG. 6, mayperform the operation shown in FIG. 7. That is, similarly to processingof the step S301 described above, the control unit 13 determines whetheror not the position of the target vehicle is near a shielding areastored by the learning unit 12 (step S401). In processing of the stepS401, when it is determined that the position of the target vehicle isnear the shielding area (step S401: Yes), the control unit 13 estimatesthe future position of the target vehicle from the vector of the targetvehicle to support driving of the target vehicle (step S402). At thistime, the control unit 13 maintains the target vehicle speed of thetarget vehicle (i.e., does not change).

<Computer Program>

The embodiment according to the computer program will be described withreference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configurationof a computer according to the embodiment.

In FIG. 8, the computer 50 is configured to include a CPU (CentralProcessing Unit) 51, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 52, a HDD (Hard DiskDrive) 53 and an I/O (Input/Output) 54. The CPU 51, the RAM 52, the HDD53 and the I/O 54 are interconnected by a bus 55. The computer program531 according to the present embodiment is stored in advance in the HDD53. The I/O 54 may constitute at least a part of the communication unit14 in the embodiment described above.

Processing of the CPU 51 according to the computer program 531 will bedescribed. The CPU 51 acquires images captured by the camera 20 via theI/O 54. The CPU 51 may store the acquired image in the RAM 52 or maystore the acquired image in the HDD 53. The CPU 51 learns a shieldingarea based on the above images. The CPU 51 stores the learned shieldingarea data in the HDD 53.

The CPU 51 generates information for supporting the vehicle 1 as anexemplary of the target vehicle. The CPU 51 transmits the generated datato the vehicle control unit 30 of the vehicle 1 through the I/O 54. TheCPU 51, when shielding area is present on the traveling path of thevehicle 1, generates information indicating a predetermined command inorder to control the behavior of the vehicle 1. The CPU 51 transmitsinformation indicating a predetermined command, via the I/O 54, to thevehicle control unit 30 of the vehicle 1.

The computer 50 may store the computer program 531 in the HDD 53 byreading the computer program 531 from a recording medium such as anoptical disk such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) forstoring the computer program 531, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory,or the like. Alternatively, the computer 50 may store the computerprogram 531 in the HDD 53 by downloading the computer program 531 via anetwork such as the Internet.

According to the computer program 531, similarly to the driving supportmethod described above, even when there is a possibility that the targetvehicle cannot be recognized, the target vehicle can be safely driven.According to the computer program 531, it is possible to relativelyeasily realize the control apparatus 10 in the embodiment describedabove.

Various aspects of the present disclosure derived from the embodimentsand modifications described above will be described below.

The driving support method according to an aspect of the presentdisclosure is a driving support method that supports driving of avehicle from outside of the vehicle using an image captured by a camerainstalled outside of the vehicle. The driving support method comprises arecognition step of recognizing a shielding area that is an area inwhich the vehicle is shielded by a shield within the imaging range ofthe camera based on the image; and a control step of controlling thebehavior of the vehicle by giving a predetermined command to the vehiclewhen the shielding area is present on traveling path of the vehicle. Inthe above-described embodiment, the operation of the learning unit 12corresponds to an example of the recognition process, and the operationof the control unit 13 corresponds to an example of the control process.

In the driving support methods, the predetermined command may be adeceleration command. In this aspect, the greater the shielding area,the greater the degree of deceleration indicated by the decelerationinstruction. In the driving support method, the predetermined commandmay be a stop command. In the driving support method, the predeterminedcommand may be a traveling path change command that changes thetraveling path to a new path that does not pass through the shieldingarea. In the driving support method, the predetermined command may be atarget change command to change the target point of the vehicle to a newtarget point that the vehicle can reach without passing through theshielding area.

In the driving support method, the recognizing step may recognize ashielding area candidate which is an area corresponding to thedifference between one image captured by the camera and another imagecaptured prior to the one image, and recognize the area as the shieldingarea when another vehicle different from the vehicle cannot berecognized from the image captured by the camera in the vicinity of theshielding area candidate.

A driving support apparatus according to an aspect of the presentdisclosure is a driving support apparatus that supports driving of avehicle from outside of the vehicle using an image captured by a camerainstalled outside of the vehicle. The driving support apparatuscomprises the recognition unit configured to recognize a shielding areathat is an area in which the vehicle is shielded by a shield within theimaging range of the camera based on the image, and a control unitconfigured to control the behavior of the vehicle by giving apredetermined command to the vehicle when the shielding area is presenton the traveling path of the vehicle. In the above-described embodiment,the control apparatus 10 corresponds to an example of driving supportapparatus, and the learning unit 12 corresponds to an example of therecognition unit.

The driving support system according to an aspect of the presentdisclosure includes a driving support apparatus for supporting thevehicle from outside of the vehicle using an image captured by a camerainstalled outside of the vehicle, and a vehicle-side apparatus mountedon the vehicle. The driving support apparatus includes a recognitionunit configured to recognize a shielding area that is an area in whichthe vehicle is shielded by a shield within the imaging range of thecamera based on the image, and a control unit configured to control thebehavior of the vehicle by giving a predetermined command to the vehiclewhen the shielding area is present on the traveling path of the vehicle.The vehicle-side apparatus is to control the behavior of the vehicleaccording to the predetermined command. In the embodiment describedabove, the vehicle control unit 30 corresponds to an example of thevehicle-side apparatus.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, non-transitorycomputer readable medium including comprising a computer program thatcauses a controller of a driving support apparatus that supports drivingof a vehicle from outside of the vehicle using images captured by acamera installed outside of the vehicle to recognize a shielding areathat is an area in which the vehicle is shielded by a shield within animaging range of the camera based on the images, and control behavior ofthe vehicle by giving a predetermined command to the vehicle when theshielding area is present on traveling path of the vehicle.

The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments describedabove. The present disclosure can be appropriately modified in a rangethat does not contrary to the claimed range and the inventive summary orphilosophy that can be read from the entire specification. Drivingsupport methods, driving support apparatus, driving support systems andcomputer programs with such modifications are also included in thepresent disclosure technical range.

What is claimed is:
 1. A driving support method for assisting driving ofa vehicle from outside of the vehicle using images captured by a camerainstalled outside of the vehicle, the driving support method comprising:a recognition step of recognizing a shielding area that is an area inwhich the vehicle is shielded by a shield within an imaging range of thecamera based on the images; and a control step of controlling behaviorof the vehicle by giving a predetermined command to the vehicle when theshielding area is present on a traveling path of the vehicle.
 2. Thedriving support method according to claim 1, wherein the predeterminedcommand is a deceleration command.
 3. The driving support methodaccording to claim 2, wherein the degree of deceleration indicated bythe deceleration command increases as the shielding area increases. 4.The driving support method according to claim 1, wherein thepredetermined command is a stop command.
 5. The driving support methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the predetermined command is a path changecommand which changes the traveling path to a new traveling path thatdoes not pass through the shielding area.
 6. The driving support methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the predetermined command is a targetchange command that changes a target point of the vehicle to a newtarget point that the vehicle can reach without passing through theshielding area.
 7. The driving support method according to claim 1,wherein the recognition step recognizes a shielding area candidate thatis an area corresponding to the difference between one image captured bythe camera and another image captured prior to the one image, andrecognizes the area as the shielding area if another vehicle, which isdifferent from the vehicle, cannot be recognized from the image capturedby the camera in the vicinity of the shielding area candidate.
 8. Adriving support apparatus for supporting driving of a vehicle fromoutside of the vehicle using images captured by a camera installedoutside of the vehicle, the driving support apparatus comprising: arecognition unit configured to recognize a shielding area that is anarea in which the vehicle is shielded by a shield within an imagingrange of the camera based on the image, and a control unit configured tocontrol behavior of the vehicle by giving a predetermined command to thevehicle when the shielding area is present on a traveling path of thevehicle.
 9. A driving support system comprising a driving supportapparatus for supporting driving of a vehicle from outside of thevehicle using images captured by a camera installed outside of thevehicle and a vehicle-side apparatus mounted on the vehicle, wherein thedriving support apparatus comprises a recognition unit configured torecognize a shielding area that is an area in which the vehicle isshielded by a shield within an imaging range of the camera based on theimages, and a control unit configured to control behavior of the vehicleby giving a predetermined command to the vehicle when the shielding areais present on a traveling path of the vehicle, the vehicle-sideapparatus controls the behavior of the vehicle according to thepredetermined command.
 10. A non-transitory computer readable mediumincluding comprising a computer program that causes a controller of adriving support apparatus that supports driving of the vehicle fromoutside of the vehicle using images captured by a camera installedoutside of the vehicle to perform at least the following when executed:recognize an shielding area that is an area in which the vehicle isshielded by a shield within an imaging range of the camera based on theimages; and control behavior of the vehicle by giving a predeterminedcommand to the vehicle when the shielding area is present on a travelingpath of the vehicle.